Georgia Bloggers Meet-up

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to meet up with some other Georgia bloggers yesterday thanks to the organizational efforts of Jayne at Smart Kids. You see, even though I've been MIA from the blogging world a lot this year, blogging is always on my mind. Really.

This year has been a whirlwind as I've juggled teaching full-time, parenting, and starting my PhD program. Virtually everything I've written this year has included a bibliography, and that hasn't left a lot of energy for my blog. But when I've been researching and writing for my academic pursuits, I've been learning all about theories of professional learning and how our online encounters fit into that. I must say, there hasn't been a lot written about teacher professional learning through blogging, and that's a gap I intend to fill. More people need to know about the amazing teachers supporting each other through social media. They need to know how that process is 10 times better than any other form of professional development and how it empowers teachers to become better at their craft by pursuing their passions and interests.

So when I say that blogging is always on my mind, I really mean it. It's been at the heart of every paper I've written as I work on my PhD. When I got the chance to go meet some fellow bloggers, I couldn't say no.

The meet up was at Georgia School Supply in Macon, GA--about an hour and a half away from where I live. I was excited to go and meet some fellow bloggy friends because it's always so good to be able to match names and faces and to remember that there are some real live people with amazing ideas that are working in classrooms, too. I'd never met any of the people there, so it was a real treat.

We talked about our secret lives as bloggers and TpT'ers, shared tips and strategies, made business plans, swapped products, and had an all around great time. I love meeting other bloggers and learning how much we have in common. Everyone I met yesterday was wonderful, and I look forward to keeping in touch with these new friends!

I hope to be blogging more this week as my student teacher takes over EVERYTHING from now through spring break (woot! woot!). In the meantime, be sure to check out the blogs from the amazing people I met yesterday!

Jayne, Kelly, Angie, Stacy, Tara, Valerie

Jennifer, Carol, Kathy, Meghan, Kim, Irma, Megan

 
 

Michelin, Jessica, Greg, Erin, Alison